Re: suggestions on how to "hide" UI-based topics in online Help TOC?

[Janice Gelb <Janice -dot- Gelb -at- Sun -dot- COM>]

Donna Barbieri wrote:
> Here is the situation - I am working as a contractor
> at a company that had a Tech Writing intern (who is
> related to someone in dev). This intern produced an
> entire WebHelp system for the application. However,
> the Help system is 100% UI specific. Topics such as
> "using XYZ" really include information about what is
> on a particular screen.
> I have been tasked with creating "usable" Help for
> first time users AND with keeping the existing Help
> for a release in the next two weeks. 
>  
> Since, apparently, this HAS to be there I'd like to
> minimize it's impact on users. I am thinking of
> introducing the task-based topics as one normally
> would and then renaming all the existing topics and
> including them in a logical hierarchy (oh, I didn't
> mention the current TOC has two levels - which could
> be bc there are no keywords and the index suxs - but I
> digress yet again...)...anyway, so I want to create a
> hierarchy so these topics aren't cluttering the TOC -
> question is - what should these "topics" be called I
> really want to steer away from "using XYZ Page" and
> was thinking "XYZ Options" "XYZ Page" "About XYZ"? Any
> suggestions?
> 

First of all, points for not wanting your help
topics to be interface-based! If you have to keep
your topics as is, then I'm not sure it's worth
your while to rename them all. I'd maybe divide
help into two main headings: "About the XYZ
Interface" and "Using XYZ" and put the respective
topics under those two main areas.

-- Janice

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